Wood splitting machine



ept 9, 1958 H, H. GERJETS ET AL 2,851,072

WOOD SPLITTING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig./

1 U Harry MGerjeis Harry. Z/ Gerjefs IN VEN TORS,

Ammgs Sept. 9, 1958 H. H. GERJETS ET L WOOD SPLITTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 16, 1956 Harry H. Gerjefs Harry J. Gerjefs INVENTORS,

United States Patent 2,851,072 WOOD SPLITTING MACHINE Harry H. Gerjets and Harry J. Gerjets, Marysville, Wash. Application July 16, 1956, Serial No. 597,939 2 Claims. (Cl. 144-193 This invention relates to a machine adapted tobe utilized for wood splitting and more particularly to means for splitting and resplitting cedar shake blanks.

In an attempt to eliminate the hand operation previously necessary for splitting cedar shakes, various machines have been designed. These machines have attempted to split cedar shake blanks automatically by use of gauges and the like. However, since the material is quite wavy and not uniform, the splitter must judge the depth of the wave and vary the thickness of the cut accordingly. Further, when resplitting the center line does not correspond with the outer edges of the cedar shake. Thus, in order to gain the desired rustic, effect while eliminating loss from unsuccessful splitting attempts, some human adjustment of the cedar shake blanks must be made. Further, it is not desirable for the knife blade against which the cedar shake blank is placed to be moved but it has been found that the cedar shake blank is thus placed on a platform which can be aligned at any desired point with the blade and then the platform moves relative to the blade to cause the splitting of the cedar shake blank. It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a machine which will eliminate the necessity for hand tools in splitting and resplitting cedar shake blanks yet which allows the operator to adjust for the various types and condition of material being worked upon.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in the provision of a wood splitting machine that is simple in construction, efiicient in use, which is not cumbersome, and which is rapid in operation so as to enable the production of cedar shakes at lower cost.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this wood splitting machine, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the wood splitting machine;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the wood splitting machine comprising the present invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the machine in use and showing in phantom lines the leaf of the table in a raised position;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view as taken along the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 1 illustrating in particular the construction of the knife and the manner of mounting the knife with respect to the stand;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view as taken along the plane of line 5-5 in Figure 1 illustrating the table and the means mounting the table on the stand;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cedar shake blank illustrating a portion of a split made therein; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a split cedar shake blank.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar 45 may be mounted on the 2,851,072 Patented Sept. 9, 1958 parts throughout the various views, reference numeral 10 generally designates the wood splitting machine comprising the present invention. This wood splitting machine may be mounted on a base 12 formed by I-beams or the like and includes an upright stand 14 formed of suitable material preferably of I-configuration. Adjusta'bly secured to the stand 14 is a knife blade 16. The knife blade is suitably affixed to a substantially U-shaped bracket 18.

Welded or otherwise secured to the bracket 18 are threaded rods as at 20 which pass through a locking plate 22 and by the use of fasteners 24 threaded on the threaded rods 20, the stand 14 is clampingly engaged between the locking plate 22 and justably hold the knife blade 16 in a'selec'ted position.

A table 28 is vertically adjustably mounted on the i stand 14 by means of side guides 30 and 32 each of which carries upper and lower sets .of rollers 34, 36 and 38, etc. The rollers engage and embrace the flanges of the I-shaped stand 14. Supporting brackets as at 40- may be provided for rigidifying the stand with respect/to the base 12. Mounted on a plate 42 secured to the base 12 is an electric motor 44. Of course, if desired, an

internal combustion engine or other prime mover may Switch 6 means device for controlling the;

be utilized in lieu of the electric motor.

supply of electrical current to the motor 44 and hence control the operation of the invention. drives a hydraulic pump 46 which is adapted to pump fluid through a conduit 48 to a two-way valve 50. This two-way valve 50 controls the flow of fluid through conduit 52 to a hydraulic cylinder 54. The hydraulic cylinder 54 may be pivotally mounted as at 56 to the base 12 and has a piston 58 therein nected thereto which piston rod 60 is pivotally attached as at 62to the flange 64 of the table 28. A fluid reservoir 70 is provided and there is a connection between the two-way valve 50 to the reservoir 70 through conduit 72.

The two-way valve 50 valve is in a first position,

is so arranged that when the fluid is pumped through the However, when the valve is in the other position, fluid is exhausted from the valve 50 into the tank 70. A third position of the valve or neutral position is, of course, provided which neutral position is maintained by means of the control arm 78 carried by a bracket 80 and pivoted thereto as at 82 depending from the tray 28. A stop lock 84 is mounted on the bracket 80 and coacting with the stop block 84 and the control arm 78 is a threaded adjustment screw 86. Hence, adjustment of the screw 86 will cause the arm 78 to be pivoted to an adjusted position so that the neutral position of the table will be readily adjusted. A spring 90 is terminally secured to the table 28 and to the control arm 78 in its adjusted position.

The linkage 94 is provided for controlling the valve 50 and this linkage is adapted to be actuated by a foot pedal 96. A return spring 98 is provided and is secured as at 100 to the foot pedal 96 and to a gear 102 mounted on the reservoir 70 or any other suitable place.

The table 28 is provided with a hinged leaf which is hinged as can be best seen by means of a piano hinge or the like as at 112, see Figure 5, horizontally offset from the knife blade 16.

In operation, the material is placed against the knife 3, and a first cut as shown in Figures 6 and 7 and indicated at is made by the operator actuating the pedal 96 which causes the two-way control valve 50 to actuate the piston rod 60 raising the table 28 forcing the material past the knife 16. When the foot is removed from the pedal, the spring 98 will actuate the the bracket 18 to ad- The motor 44' having a piston rod 60 coni pedal to return the control valve 50 to a position to depress the piston rod 60 and hence the table 28. This causes the control arm 78 to be lowered to a position where it will engage the control valve 50 and return it to a neutral position stopping the table. Then, the cedar shake blank can be disengaged from the knife and reversed and another cut 182, see Figure 7, can then be made in the blank.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A wood splitting machine comprising an upright stand, a knife blade mounted on the upper part of said stand, a table mova'bly mounted on said stand, hydraulic means for raising and lowering said table, and control means for controlling said hydraulic means to selectively raise, lower, and maintain said table in a neutral position, said control means including a two-way valve, a pedal actuated linkage, a pedal connected to said linkage when depressed will position said valve to raise said table, a spring connected to said pedal actuated linkage for urging said linkage to position said valve to lower said table, a control arm on said table engageable with said valve to maintain said valve in a neutral position, and means for angularly adjusting the position of said control arm to adjust the neutral position of said table, said knife blade being positioned above said table, said table having a leaf hingedly secured thereto adapted to form an extension of said table, said leaf being hinged to said table along a line offset from said knife blade.

2. A wood splitting machine comprising an upright stand, a knife blade mounted on the upper part of said stand, a table movably mounted on said stand, a hydraulic means for raising and lowering said table, and control means for controlling said hydraulic means to selectively raise, lower, and maintain said table in a neutral position, said control means including a two-way valve, a pedal actuated linkage, a pedal connected to said linkage when depressed will position said valve to raise said table, a spring connected to said pedal actuated linkage for urging said linkage to position said valve to lower said table, a control arm on said table engageable with said valve to maintain said valve in a neutral position, and means for angularly adjusting the position of said control arm to adjust the neutral position of said table.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 350,894 Puhl et al Oct. 12, 1886 513,637 Fox Jan. 30, 1894 1,602,798 Lee Oct. 12, 1926 2,105,215 I Dinzl Jan. 11, 1938 2,704,093 Brown Mar. 15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 244,777 Switzerland June 2, 1947 

